Cigarette-machine.



' PATENTBD APR. 23, 1907. E. GEORGII. CIGARETTE MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED PEB.9, 1904.

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PATENTED APR. 23, 1907;

E. GEORGII. CIGARETTE MACHINE.

APPLIOATIONTILED PEI!v 9, 1904.

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WITNESSES:

[NVENTOR THE NORRIS PETERS co, wnsumomu, 0, c

PATBNTED APR. 2a, 1907.

E. GBORGII. CIGARETTE MACHINE.

APPLICATION PIL ED FEB. 9, 1904.

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[IVVENTOR r THE uonms PETERS co., WASHINGTON, u. c.

No 850.921. I I 'PATBNTED APR.2'3,19 07.

RGBORGII.

CIGARETTE MACHINE. 4 APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1904;

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3 2 m P A D E T N E T A P R N I HA RM m m BE A G I G APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1904.

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EMIL GEORGII, OF STUTTGART, GERMANY.

CIGARETTE-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

Application filed February 9, 1904. Serial No. 192,834.

To a who? it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL GEORGII, a citi- Zen of the Empire of Germany, residing at Stuttgart, Germany, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Cigarette- Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descripll tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in cigarette-machines.

The general object of my invention is to provide a machine which will make a rolled cigarette automatically and which will automatically increase the pressure on said filler during the rolling operation, whereby the filler will be rolled up to the desired diameter with a uniform soft rolling, superior to the most careful handwork and without the slightest injury to the tobacco.

With this general object in view and some others which will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the description hereinafter my invention consists in the features, details of construction, and combination of parts which will'first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2, an enlarged transverse section on the lines 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the rolling-table in position for receiving a charge of tobacco to be rolled; Fig. 3, a detail section showing the mechanism for operating the wrapper-supplying drum Fig. 4, a view similar to Fig. 2', showing the rolling-table at the end of its backward stroke after it has completed the rolling of a cigarette-filler; Fig. 5, a detail sectional view on the line 5 5, Fig. 1 Fig. 6, a view similar to Figs. 2 and 4, showing the rolling-table at the moment it has returned to its normal position, with the presser-foot projected into the recess; Fig. 7, a greatlyenlarged detail view showing the springpressed roller 33 and its adjacent parts Fig. 8, an enlarged detail sectional view of the spring-pin 13; Fig. 9, anenlarged sectional view on the lines 9 9 of Fig. 1; Fig. 10, a detail view of the head for the wrapper-pushing rod; Fig. 11, a detail view of the filler-ejecting mechanism, and Fig. 12 a pers ective view of the rolling-table with some 0' its coacting parts.

ieferring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 2, 4i, and 6, 1 is a rolling-table, in the present instance curved and mounted upon an axis 2, carried in hangers 3, secured to the top 4 of the work-table. The said rollingtable is provided with a recess 5, within which are located suitable stop devices, such as the stop-plates 6 6, it being preferable to make at least one of said stop-plates adjustable toward and from the other, as by providing said adjustable stop plates 6 with slots through which pass screws threaded into the bottom of the recess 5. The recess 5 is near one end of the rolling-table, thus dividing its periphery into two portions, a larger and a smaller one. The larger portion of the said periphery is provided with two stop-rails 7 7, it being preferable to have at least one of these adjustable toward and from the other as, for example, by providing it with slots and screws in the same manner as is the adjustable stop-plate hereinbefore described. Furthermore, for simplicity each stop-plate and its corresponding stop-rail are referably formed in one, as best showninFlg. 12. Upon the rolling-table 1 lies a rollingapron 8, which at the commencement of the rolling operation has a portion hanging down into the recess 5. This apron is secured to the rolling-table preferably by attaching it at each end to suitable apron-holding devices, that portion of the apron between the said holding devices constituting what may be termed the working length of the apron. This working length of the apron in accordance with the present invention is capable of being altered during the rolling operation, such alteration preferably consisting in gradually diminishing the working length during the rolling of the filler and then quickly in creasing said working length so soon as the filler has been rolled in order that the filler may be ejected readily, as morefully explained hereinafter. Furthermore, in order that the machine may be adjusted to produce cigarettes of diiferent diameters it is advisable to so arrange the apron that its working length may be adjusted preliminarily. The last-mentioned adjustment of the working length of the apron is provided for in the example illustrated by attaching one end of the apron to a suitable adjusting device*as, for example, a cam 9, mounted on pivots 10, journaled in arms 11, which form part of the framework of the table, said cam being provided with an adj usting-arm 12, arranged to be locked in any of the positions to which it may be adjusted by any suitable locking meansas, for example, by providing said arm with a spring-pin 13, (see Fig. 8,) arranged to enter any desired hole of a series of holes 14, located concentric with the axis of the cam, said holes being formed in. a portion of the framework of the rolling-table. It is to be understood that after the said adjustment of the working length of the apron has been made for the production of a cigarette of certain size no further adjustment is necessary while the machines are employed for the production of such cigarettes, and therefore where the machine is intended to operate continuously upon one particular size of cigarettes and the apron has been adjusted to said size it may subsequently be considered as if fixedly instead of adj ustably secured at one end to the rolling-table. The other end of the apron is connected to suit able means whereby the working length of the apron may be varied during the rolling operation, this end being attained in the present example by attaching the end of the apron to a cam 15, mounted on pivots 16, journaled in the framework of the rolling-ta ble. The said cam is provided with means for progressively rotating it on its pivots do ing the rolling operation, said means in the present example being constructed as follows:

To the cam is attached an arm 17, provided with a radially-adjustable pin 18,

which engages a slot 19 in one arm of a bellcrank 20, pivoted to the framework of the rolling-table, the other arm of said bellcrank having a roller 21, arranged to be held against a fixed cam 22 by means of a spring 23, secured at one end to the bell-crank and at the other to the framework of the rolling-table, the fixed cam 22 being carried by the worktable.

The cam 22 has a nose or projection 24, immediately behind which is a recess 25, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter.

The rolling-table is provided with suitable means for moving itas, for example, the following: To the rolling-table is attached a crank-arm 26, connected by a link 27 to one end of a lever 28, fulcrumed in the work-table at 29 and having the other end provided with a roller 30, arranged to bear on a cam 31, fixed on the main shaft 32 of the machine. Above the rolling-table is a yieldingly-mounted roller 33, journaled in boxes 34, Fig. 7, movable in guideways formed in standards 35, 'said boxes being provided with guidestuds 36, which project through the upper ends of the standards, said guide-studs 36 in the construction shown being threaded into the guide-boxes 34. To the top ends of the standards is secured a cap-plate 37, provided with two arms 38, to the under sides of which are secured leaf-springs 39, whose free ends bear upon the apron 8, which passes over the top of said roller 33. To the center of the cap-plate 37 is secured a leaf-spring 40, whose two ends bear upon the heads of the guidestuds 36, and thereby maintain a yielding pressure upon the guide-boxes 34 and upon the roller 33, thus pressing it yieldingly toward the rolling-table. It is to be noted that the standards and guideways are inclined instead of truly vertical, the purpose of which will be explained.

At 41, Fig. 2, 4, and 6, is shown another roller carried in standards 42, fixed to the top 4 of the work-table and arranged to bear against the rolling-apron.

To the work-table is pivoted a presser-lever 43, provided with a yielding presser-foot, consisting of a plate 44, arranged to enter the recess 5 in the rollingtable, and a stem 45, which enters a socket 46, secured to the end of the presser-lever 43, said stem being pressed outward yieldingly 'by a spring 47, the movement of the stem being limited by a pin 48, carried by the stem and projecting into a slotin the socket. The end of the presser-lever 43 is provided with a tail 49, above which is a roller 50, the tail being arranged to engage a pin 51, fixed 'in a cam 52, secured on the main shaft of the machine, while the roller is located so as to be engaged by the said cam after the presser-lever 43 has been moved to a certain extent by the pin. The presser-lever is returned to its normal position against a stop-arm 53 by a spring 54.

Upon the work-table is fixed a feeding-plate 55, whose inner terminus is rounded clownward, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 6, so as to discharge tobacco into the recess 5 of the rolling-table when the latter is in its starting position.

The operation of the mechanism thus far described is as followsz'The tobacco is distributed in the desired manner upon the feeding-plate 55 by the operator, and a suit able charge thereof is fed into that portion of the apron which hangs in the recess 5 of the rolling-table, such portion of the apron forming a bight. At this time the rollingtable and its coacting mechanism has the position shown in Fig. 2. So soon as the to bacco charge is in place in the bight of the apron the machine is set in operation by the operator by the means hereinafter described. As a result of this the driving-shaft is rotated, and the cam 31 lifts the outer end of the lever 28,,thus rotating the rolling-table toward the rear of the machine, whereby the bight of the apron and its contained charge are carried to the rear of the roller 33. While this is occurring, the working length of the apron is gradually shortened by the cam 15, operated by the bell-crank 20, whose roller 21 rides upon the fixed cam 22. By this means the bight of the apron is caused to leave the recess 5 and rides upon the larger portion of the top of the rollingtable, as will be clear from Fig. 4, and by the continued movement of the rolling-table toward the rear the filler is rolled. During this rolling operation the working length of the apron is gradually shortened by the travel of the roller 21 up the nose 24 of the cam 22, thus not only rolling the filler, but rolling it under a graduallyincreasing pressure until it is slightly smaller in diameter than the completed cigarette. After passing the nose 24 the roller 21 immediately enters the recess 25 of the cam 19, thus quickly reducing the strain on the apron and allowing the bight containing the filler to loosen slightly in order that said filler may be pushed out of the bight quickly and easily by suitable ejecting mechanism-si;ich, for example, as that hereinafter described.

The rolling-table and its coacting parts are shown in their position ready for the discharge of the filler in Fig. 4. Immediately after the discharge of the filler from the rolling mechanism the rolling-table commences its movement in the opposite directionthat is to say, toward the operator-whereby the bight of the apron is drawn from under the roller 33, the slack of the apron being at the rear of the rolling-table, while the apron itself is stretched across the top of the recess 5.

'It is the purpose of the presser-lever 43 and its foot 44 to return the slack of the apron to the recess 5, thereby again forming the bight therein. This is done by the oscillation of the presser-lever 43 through the medium of the cam 52- and its pin 51. The latter engages the tail 49 of the presser-lever and forces said tail outward, thus bringing the roller 50 into the path of the cam 52, which is so shaped as to hold the presser-lever until the pin 51 clears the tail 49, whereafter the cam clears the roller and the presser-lever is returned to its normal position by the spring 54. The cam is so timed and its throw is such thatthe presser-foot is brought down upon the apron slightly before the rolling-table has reached its normal position. The continued movement of the cam after the contact between the presser-foot and the apron which lies upon the top of the rolling table causes the spring 47 of the presser-foot to be compressed until finally the rolling-table has reached its normal position, where upon the recess 5 is brought beneath the presser-foot, which suddenly is forced into said recess by the reaction of its spring, driving the apron downward into said recess to form a bight therein, as will be clear from Fig. 6, after which the presser-lever 43 is freed by its cam and is returned to its normal position by its spring 54. Thereupon the rolling table and apron are in position to receive the next charge of tobacco.

In order that the rolling table may be given one complete oscillation and then posiratchet-wheel by a spring 61, secured. to the disk 56. The gear-wheel is driven by a second gear-wheel 62, Fig. 4, mounted upona shaft 63, provided with a belt-pulley 64, which may be continuously rotated from any source of power. '(Not shown.) When the pawl is in engagement with its ratchet-wheel,

the rotation. of the gear-wheel 60 will cause the main shaft also to rotate, the pawl being carried around with the disk.

At 65 is shown a bolt arranged to project into the path of the tail of the pawl and to engage the same, whereby the pawl is tripped from its ratchet-wheel and the latter allowed to continue its rotation, while the main shaft stops. The bolt 65 is mounted in a slideway 66,-secured to the worlvtable, and has its inner end provided with a pin 67, which engages a slot in the lower end of a lever 68, fulcrumed at 69 on the work-table, the upper end of said lever being arrangedto be actuated by the operator and preferably having a cup-shaped head 70 forconvenience of operation, into which the end of the finger of the operator may be inserted to push the lever. A spring 71 serves to return the lever to its normal position, thus keeping the bolt 65 in the path of the tail 58 of the pawl 59. When the operator desires to operate the machine to roll a cigarette, the head is pushed, which operates the lever 68 to withdraw the bolt 65 from its engagement with the pawl 57 whereby the latter is freed and is forced into engagement with the ratchet-wheel, thus looking the disk 56 and said ratchet-wheel together and causing the main shaft to start in rotation. Immediately after pushing the head 70 it is released by the operator and is returned to its normal position, whereby the bolt 65 is again thrown into the path of the tail of the pawl, which by the rotation of the main shaft is brought around into engagement with the bolt, and thereby tripped, thus stopping the main shaft.

The means for ejecting the filler from the rolling mechanism and for forcing the said filler into a wrapper and the means for supplying said wrapper, for holding them, and for removing the completed cigarette preferably is similar to the corresponding mechanism shown in my Patent No. 670,133, some of the details, however, being modified, as will now be explained.

The under side of the work-table is provided with guides 72, Fig. 5, in which may reciprocate a longitudinally-movable slide 73, preferably T shaped in cross section. This slide is provided with a downward-extending arm 74, carrying a pin 75, arranged to enter a slot in the end of a lever 76, ful cru'med at 77 to the work-table, said arm having its rear end provided with a roller 78, which engages a cam-groove 79 in a cam 80, fixed to the main shaft of the machine, the shape of the groove being such that the lever will be oscillated at the proper time to reciprocate the slide. To this slide is attached a standard 81, which has a tubular head 82, through which projects a pusher-rod 83, having a collar 84 at one end. A spring 85 is se cured at one end to said collar and at the other end to a screw on the tubular head 82, thus forming a yielding connection between the pusher-rod and the standard. I

To one of the slotted standards 35, which carry the roller 33, is attached a Wrappertube 86, so arranged that it will have its axis in line with the axis of the completely-rolled filler as the same lies completed in the bight of the rolling-apron, the pusher-rod 83 having its axis in the same line. Against the under side of the wrapper-tube bears a light leaf-spring 87, fastened at one end to a spring-arm 88, fixed to the work-table, as shown in Fig. 9.

A standard 89, secured tothe work-table and provided with an adjusting-screw, serves to limit the upward pressure of the leafspring 87 upon the wrapper-tube. The said leaf-spring 87 is removedfrom contact with the wrapper-tube at the proper moment by a lever 90, fulcrumed at91 and provided with an adjusting-screw 92 at one end, which adjusting-screw is arranged to contact with and force downward the spring-arm 88. The outer end of the lever is provided with a roller 93, engaging a cam 94 on the main shaft, against which cam the roller is held by a spring 95. As the main shaft revolves the cam 94. will operate the lever at the desired moment. I

At the discharge side of the rolling-table is mounted a wrapper-feeding and cigaretteremoving mechanism, which in the present instance comprises a drum 95, having grooves in its periphery, said grooves being arranged to receive cigarette-wrappers from a hopper 96, the surplus wrappers being brushed back by a rotary brush 97, driven by a belt 98 from the drum.

The drum is mounted rotatably on hangers 98, attached to the under side of the work-table, and is provided with a ratchetwheel 99, engaged by a pawl 100, carried on a lever 101, fulcrumed 011 an arm 102, secured to the work-table and provided with a roller 103, which engages a cam 104, fixed on the main shaft. The rotation of the main shaft causes the pawl to operate the ratchetwheel and turn the drum step by step.

The slide 73 is provided with a standard 105, which extends upward through a slot in the table and has its upper end provided with a hole through which passes a wrapperpushing rod 106, which extends through a hole in a post 107, fixed to the work-table, said rod having two adjustable collars 108, one at each side of the standard 105. The end of the wrapper-pushing rod 106 which acts on the wrappers is provided with a yielding head, preferably consisting of a socket 109, having an end plate 110, said socket being arranged to receive the end of the wrapper-pushing rod 106 and containing a light helical spring 111, the socket being held to the rod by a pin 112, fixed to the rod and projecting through a slot in the socket, as will be clear from Fig. 10.

The operation of the wrapper-supplying and filler-discharging mechanism is as follows: WVhen the filler has been completely rolled and the apron slightly loosened, as hereinbefore described, the cam 80 operates the lever 76 to push the ejecting-rod into the bight, thus forcing out the filler into the wrapper at that time held on the wrappertube 86 by the leaf-spring 87. So soon as the filler has been pushed the required distance into the wrapper the cam 94 operates to remove the leaf-spring 87 from the wrapper, whereby the latter is released, and by the continued movement of the ejecting-rod in its initial direction said wrapper and its contained filler are pushed off the wrappertube into the groove of the drum, which is then rotated one step by the cam 104 through the medium of the pawl and ratchetwheel 99, thus bringing up a new wrapper. At this moment the cam 80 operates the slide 73 in the return direction, thus moving the ejecting-rod back to its starting position. Also the wrapper-pushing rod 106 is brought up into contact with the new Wrapper which is in position on the drum, and thereby said wrapper is pushed onto the wrapper-tube, when it is then clamped by the leaf-spring 87, and the manufacture of the next cigarette is proceeded with in the manner hereinbefore explained. The continued step-by-step rotation of the drum 95 carries off the finished cigarettes and discharges them into any desired receptacle.

The purpose of the yielding head 110 on the wrapper-pushing rod 106.is to prevent injury to a wrapper in case it fails to pass ing an opportunity for the operator to insert said wrapper by hand upon said wrappertable.

The object of mounting the ejecting-rod in a yielding manner on its standard 81 is as follows: If through mistake too much tobacco has been employed in making the filler, or if properly onto the wrapper-table 86, thus givsaid filler contains stems or any foreign material, or if for any other cause the force which would be required to push the filler from the bight of the apron is greater than the tension of the spring 85, the latter will yield during the movement of the slide and will allow the filler to remain in the tight oi the apron instead of being discharged therefrom into the wrapper. Upon the return movement of the rolling-table this undischarged and imperfect filler is brought back onto the rolling-table in view of the operator,

as will be clear from Fig. 7, and may be removed from the machine. In this way the production of a perfect cigarette is practically insured.

The wrapper-pushing rod 106 is arranged to remain stationary for a portion or the stroke of the slide 73that is to say, during the time that the ejector-rod 83 is traveling through the bight of the apron prior to the release of the wrapper from the wrappertube. To allow the wrapper-pushing rod to remain stationary during this interval and at the same time to be actuated at the proper moment is the purpose of mounting the said rod loosely in its standard 105 and providing it with. the'two collars 108, which can be adjusted along the rod to the desired position for different lengths of cigarettes.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a movable rolling-table, an apron led over the same, and

means for causing said apron and rolling-table to roll a filler, of means'carried by said apron and rolling-table and arrange to shorten the working length of the apron during the rolling operation, and automatic means for increasing the Working length of the apron to partially release its hold on the filler upon the completion of the rolling operation.

2. The combination, with a rolling-table provided with 'a recess, a rolling-apron arranged to hang in a bight in said recess, and means for moving said rolling-table to carry the bight out of the recess and onto the'table, of a yielding roller arranged to coact with the table and apron in rolling a filler, and means for gradually shortening the working length providedwith a recess, a rolling-apron arranged. to hang in a bight in said recess, and means for moving said rolling-table to carry the bight out of the recess and onto the table, of a yielding roller arranged to coact with the table and apron to roll a filler, and means carried on the rolling-table and arranged to vary the working length of the apron during the rolling operation.

5. The combination, with a-rolling-table provided with a recess, a rolling-apron arranged to hang in a bight in said recess, and means for moving said rolling-table to carry the bight out of the recess and onto the table, of a roller arranged to coact with the table and apron to roll a filler, a cam connected to the apron, and means actuated during the rolling operation and arranged to move the cam, whereby the working length of the apron is varied during said rolling operation.

6. The combination, with a rolling-table having a recess, a rolling-apron arranged to hang in a bight in said recess to receive a tobacco charge, and means for carrying the bight with said charge from the recess and onto the table and rolling the filler, of a wra per-holding device and means for ejecting the rolled filler from said bight into a wrapper held by the wrapper-holding device.

7. The combination, with a movable table having a recess, a rolling-apron arranged to hang in a bight in said recess, a roller arranged to coact with the table and apron to roll a cigarette, and means for moving the table to carry the bight from the recess onto the table behind the roller, and thereby to roll a filler, of an ejecting device arranged to enter the bight while still behind the roller and thereby eject the filler, and means for 1hlpllding a wrapper to receive said ejected 8. The combination, with a rolling-table having a recess, of a pair of stop devices located on said table, and a pair of stop devices located in said recess, one stop device of each pair being adjustable toward and from the stop device of its pair.

9. The combination, with a wrapper-holding device, a drum provided with grooves arranged to supply wrappers in front of the holding device, and a wrapper-pushing rod provided with a yielding head, of means for rotating the drum, and means for reciprocating the wrapper-pushing rod.

10. The combination, with a movable rolling-table, and means for oscillating the same, of two cams carried by said rolling-table, an apron connected to both cams, means for adjustably fixing one cam, andv means operating during the oscillation of the table and arranged to move the other cam, whereby the working length of the apron is varied.

11. The combination, with a rolling-table, a cam mounted therein and a rolling-apron passing over said table and connected to the cam, of a fixed cam, means for moving the table and means intermediate the first cam and the fixed cam whereby the former is ac tuated by the latter during the movement of the rolling-table.

12. The combination, with a rolling-table, a cam mounted therein, and a rolling-apron passing over said table and connected to the cam, of a fixed cam having a nose and a recess, means for moving the rolling-table, and means connected to the first-mentioned cam and traveling over the fixed cam.

13. The combination, With a rolling-table having a recess, an apron passing over said rolling-table, and means for moving said ro11ing-tab1e,0f a lever provided With a yielding head, and means for moving said lever While the table is moving whereby the yield ing head is first resisted by the table and thereby compressed and then springs into the recess in the table. 7

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

EMIL GEORGII.

Witnesses:

A. B. DRAUTZ, ERNST ENTERSMAN. 

